Gone but not forgotten
by ktwjdramaaddictedotaku
Summary: Was discontinued but not anymore. Sasuke left naruto unconscious where Naruto disappeared without a trace. It's been 3 yrs, Sasuke has returned & the search has ended, but no ones given up hope. In just two weeks or so, can clues be found to find naruto?
1. Prologue

Gone but not forgotten. Originally written by me. I changed my profile and everything. And I'm changing this story. So bare with me as I update all of this.

**Disclaimer: Why would I be writing these if I did own Naruto?**

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It's been a year since a rescue mission finished. A rescue mission, that was not for Sasuke Uchiha.

It has been two years, three months, a week and four days since the return of Sasuke Uchiha. He had orginally left Konoha, seeking for power to kill his one and only but murderous brother, Itachi Uchiha, the traitor and killer of the Uchiha clan. When he left he abandoned Naruto after the fight at the Valley of the end, knowing full well that Akatsuki was after him, but it never entered his thoughts back then. He was too angry, too absorbed in himself and his future, until Orochimaru, the man he ran off to for power, told him Naruto vanished that same day. Orochimaru never told him for fear Sasuke would leave.

He was right.

Sasuke left and returned to Konoha. He was questioned, interrogated, tortured incase his intentions were not as it seemed. When they were sure, he was allowed to see the Hokage and disscuss with her.

He explained to the Lady Hokage the events that day. Narutos pain and anger. His unconcious state. The amount of chakra he used. Everything because every minor detail could have one micro hint to his disappearance.

In that moment, a pink haired girl and silver hair man rushed into the room.

He received punches from Sakura Haruno. The girl he thought useless; his team mate. She was now a medic nin.

She cried to him, at him, he knew she wanted to blame him; blame him for Narutos disappearance, but not once did she let slip out such words, she just hit him.

Kakashi simply put his hand on his shoulder, and welcomed him back.

they disscussed more about the day at the valley of the end.

Picking and pointing out reasons why Naruto could, if he wanted to, leave on his own will. Many came to mind.

They all knew it, it was in the back of their mind.

Only kakashi voice it out when he spoke.

"He is the number one unpredictable ninja of Konoha, no one would never know what he was thinking, planning, wanting..."

Jiryra had come back too, walking into their small meeting and accidently hearing upon Kakashis words, he spoke the same as he did back then. "The Akatsuki must have gotten to him before you, Kakashi.

Naruto wasn't the type to run off like that, he loved his village no matter what. He wouldn't give up his dreams just like that. His dreams to be the greatest Hokage ever! It was his nindo, his ninja way.."

Because of his sentence, it gave them hope again, that Naruto would never leave willingly no matter how many points they could see why he would.

It was then Sasuke joined the search, and on the day the search had been declared finished, that if Naruto was not to be found and declared dead, Sasuke promised that he would abandon his dream to complete Naruto's. His dream to be hokage.

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**Do comment.**


	2. Postpone

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters. **

**EDITED**

**Chapter 2- More time**

A blond haired, but busty, young looking woman lay draped over her desk.  
She lay on top of her scattered paperwork. Sulking at the amount she had to sign by the end of the day.

There were stacks of unmarked paperwork that were tilting and ready to fall, broken pencils and a full cup of tea that had already turned cold, possibly hours ago. She groaned as she looked at the paper, the writing too close to her eyes. The moment she had stepped foot in her office, she had gained a tremendous headache just at the sight and to make it all worse, she hadn't had her daily sake.

She opened her eyes and lifted her head to the sound of the large oak door opening. Two Chunins entered, carefully carrying a large stone with writing carved on it; they carried it towards the desk to show her.  
"Lady Hokage, as requested we brought it for you to see" spoke one man.  
The women, now known as the Hokage of the village nodded as she examined it.

_Naruto Uzumaki_

_10th October - unknown_

_Konohas number one unpredictable ninja_

_a great ninja, a great friend_

_a would have been future Hokage_

_R.I.P_

_"DATTOBAYO!"_

She smiled. Yes, those were the exact words she had asked for.

It felt right having those words on his grave stone. Everyone who would read it, would know exactly everything; what everyone thought of him, his dreams and his unforgettable catchphrase that would annoyed the hell out of you.

She had requested to see it, only because she didn't and wouldn't trust the man who makes the grave stones. She had thought he may change the words or add in horrible words (unforgiving words that may not be described) because of the disgusted look he had given when she had told him, face to face, to make a stone for Naruto Uzumaki.

Before she could dismiss the chunin's with the stone, her door flew open to show an angry raven.  
"Tsunade! Why the hell did I hear something about a funeral? Narutos to be exact! He's not fucking dead!" Yelled Sasuke furiously.  
"He's right," began a silver haired man that appeared behind him followed by a pink haired girl "we still believe he's alive," he turned his head to gaze outside the window, "out there somewhere waiting, waiting for our help."

Tsunade let out a sad sigh,

"Kakashi, Sasuke and Sakura." She said their names slowly as she looked at each one, making sure they were going to listen to what she had to say.

"Listen to me very carefully, the council have declared him dead, I couldn't argue with them they had many good points while I had none. It's either he's prounounced dead or an S-ranked missing nin. I rather not declare him that."

Silence fell upon the room until Sakura the pink haired girl broke it.

"But we can find him so you don't need to choose either. At least just call off the funeral!" she said.

Tsunade let out a frustrated sigh this time,

"He's been missing for 3 years, we had a two year search mission that hasn't gotten anywhere other than the valley of the end. You-" she stopped her sentence for a moment as she closed her eyes before reopening them. "WE don't have clues as to where his whereabouts is or if he is even alive anymore."

Another awkward silence filled the room

Minutes passed by as no one spoke, until an idea struck the jonin's mind.

"Can you postpone the funeral for two weeks and within those weeks we'll search for Naruto or for clues but if we don't find anything then proceed with the funeral and we wont stop it either."

Sasuke's eyes widen, had he heard Kakashi correctly?

Sasuke was about to say something but Sakura moved her hand at front of him. He watched as she mouthed something. Luckily, he knew how to lip read due to his Sharingan.

She had said. "Sasuke-kun, leave it. Please."

Sasuke looked away, the floor becoming highly interesting.

_'Oh kami-sama, if you have a heart let us please find a clue, I beg of you'_

Tsunade sighed yet again._ 'Too troublesome' _she mentally rolled her eyes, _'great now I sound like Shikamaru'._

She looked at each of their determined faces, especially the angry Uchiha, who she knew wanted to give an earful about his best-friend. They weren't going to give up, and she knew that, because if she was them, she wouldnt either.

"Fine, but since its Saturday it'll start tomorrow the first day of the week, oh and make sure you come back here tomorrow."

Sasuke looked up, he raised an eyebrow. "Why?" came his usual passive voice. She noted that he was hiding his true feelings well.

Tsunade shook her head "That's for me to know and you to find out tomorrow, dismissed"

Sakura looked at Sasuke before she left, hurrying to gather equipment. Kakashi poofed out immediately thinking about their one and only search point. Sasuke stayed in the room a little longer, staring at the Hokage before he too turned and walked ever so slowly out the room.

The chunin's who had been in the room for the entire conversation, let out a sigh.

"What's wrong with you?" Tsunade asked as she gulped down some sake at last.

"The tension in the air" they spoke.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, another habit she was getting now due to a certain Uchiha.

"What tension?"

"Uh, never mind," answered the other chunin before his friend could answer again. "So where do you want this now?"

The Hokage glared at the stone, she had already gotten drunk from the large gulps she had taken.

"You know I hate it that he's disappeared with out a bloody trace!"

The two chunin's flinched.

"uuh why?" they asked in unison

" 'cause I had high hopes he would carry out the dreams of everyone I loved, am I cursed? First it was my dear little brother than it was my true love, how I miss them! And now Naruto!" she took another swing to the mouth.

"I believed so much he would pass us all and complete the dream that still goes on but nooooooooo" she whined, "he goes and gets himself kidnapped! Maybe he is dead! Maybe it's better off not hoping 'cause hoping just equals more pain!"

She slammed the sake bottle onto her desk. Shards landing atound her and left over sake soaking into the papers.

"Leave it there and get out!" she half yelled and half cried at them.

Before another word could be spoken, they high-tailed it out of there before she could come after them.

Once everyone was gone and out of ear shot, she let the tears slide.

"Oh Naruto, I believed in you so much" she whispered "please, come back."

. . .

**Do review?**


	3. Something more than meets the eye

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters. **

**Wow, like after years of not continuing this, and one day of just rewriting both chapters, I received some emails from people favouriting this. Mainly two, but whos counting? **

**One review and added to fav author list. Yay :D**

**Thank you to everyone who added me and this story to their favourites. Although there wasn't many reviews, you've all given me more motivation to continue this. Motivation is what I need. :)**

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**Chapter 3**

Sasuke groaned as he looked at his reflection in the mirror. Poking at the bags forming below his eyes. He had slept late due to his thoughts that had kept him awake, thinking back to that live or die fight, and when he did sleep he would always wake up in a state. Sweating. Scared. Horrified. His dreams had kept showing images of a hurt Naruto. A dead Naruto. A young Naruto. A buried Naruto. They were all nightmares. One dream didn't leave his mind at all. It was of Naruto, bleeding from head to toe. Covered in blood, yelling at him. He couldn't remember the words, but just his crying face was enough.

Enough to make him feel like shit.

As Sasuke looked at his own eyes he thought about the two weeks to find clues or Naruto.

'_Is two weeks really enough?'_ Sasuke thought. It wasn't enough, and he knew that, what had Kakashi been thinking? Did he really have so much confidence that two weeks was enough to find anything and everything?

He growled to himself. He felt pathetic and useless. Weak.

Walking out the bathroom, he shrugged on his black jumper and black trousers. He strapped on his weapons and his forehead protector. It was a new forehead protector, he had lost the one he originally had and couldn't remember what had happened to it, but he had the strangest feeling that if he did have it, he couldn't wear it anyway.

He looked around his house one more time making sure he had everything with him before he left out the door. He was hours early before he had to go to the hokages office, but he couldn't wait in his house, in his bed, his thoughts suffocating him, the slow ticks of the clock. It was all suffocating.

He walked slowly down the paths, among the workers who began to set up, ready for the morning rush. He let his feet guide him as his mind wandered off. Where to? Well, I'm not a mind reader.

"Good morning Uchiha-San!" Called a soft voice.

Sasuke turned his head to the side to see who was greeting him so early. It was Ayame from the ramen ichiraku, she was shugging on her coat just about to leave to go out.

Sasuke frowned. When he first came back to Konoha, the news had finally been told to the villagers that Naruto had disappeared, many villagers cheered in celebration which in turn caused Sasuke to break out and punch them all down. Anbus had to restrain him and he was giving a warning from the hokage. Of all the villagers (minus the ninjas) it was only the father and daughter of the ramen ichiraku who grieved and mourned for the disapearance of Naruto. Not just because he was their best customer, it was because Naruto was like family to them. He'd walk past here everyday in hopes Naruto had come back and was sitting right there. Then soon, he'd eat ramen everyday for each meal in hopes Naruto would turn up at one of them. He never did. So he finally gave up and hadn't come back until now. I guess it was just his force of habit.

"...hn.." He said as he was just about to walk past.

"Oi! Sasuke, would you like some Ramen? I just finished making some." Teuchi shouted to Sasuke.

Sasuke hesitated. Ramen. He honestly hated it, eating it everyday was just for that dobe. It was just his hope.

After hesitating for a moment Sasuke spun around and walked towards them, he pushed the curtain to one side as he stepped in, taking a seat at front of the already placed bowl.

He picked up the pair of chopsticks beside the bowl and snapped it. He stirred the ramen, lifted some up, blew on it, before slurping it into his mouth.

The taste was familiar. It was miso ramen. Sasuke stopped eating, and stared at the bowl.

'_Miso ramen...,"_ He thought _'Narutos favourite...old man, why did you give me miso ramen?"_

Sasuke looked up at the old man who was smiling down at him. He held a knife in one hand and something else in the other.

Sasukes eyes widened at the weapon.

He watched as he cut some food into his bowl of ramen. Looking at the food, his shocked eyes turned to sadness. The food was narutomaki. A fishcake with jaggered edges and a pink swirl inside it.

"Old man..." Sasuke begun, "Miso soup and narutomaki...why?"

Teuchi chuckled slightly, just a hint of sadness lay hidden within it.

"I heard from Sakura-san yesterday that you all are going to find clues for Naruto again. I thought giving you this would comfort you, especially since whenever the little blond is in your mind you always seem to walk past here accidently."

Sasuke pulled a sad face to Teuchi. It might have been sad but it was also grateful to the old man, that was until Sasuke realised what he was doing and tried to hide his emotions behind his usual stotic self.

"Sasuke, don't bother with that facade. You might be a Uchiha but when you're here, just be Sasuke. It's okay to be human sometimes, ya know?"

Sasuke looked at Teuchi, giving up on trying to hide behind his facade. His eyes began to water, he knew he didnt want to cry but he couldnt help the tears that began to blur his vision.

"Thank you...Teuchi-San". Sasuke spoke his name with respect as he began his food again, this time feeling like Naruto was sitting right beside him. He no longer felt lonely.

"how much?" Sasuke asked.

"On the house." The old man replied.

Sasuke scowled, he didn't want it to be free he wanted to pay for his meal.

"How much?" Sasuke repeated.

The old man turned to face him, chuckling again.

"I said it's on the house, take it"

Sasuke sighed, and let out a smile. A small smile, but a smile none the less.

"But if you want," Teuchi began, "your payment to me, is finding Naruto". He smiled to Sasuke.

Sasuke nodded. "Now that, I can do" He said with full confidence now, no doubt hidden at all in his words.

"Good." Teuchi said as he turned around, his back facing Sasuke again.

A comfortable silence filled the air for a moment.

"Thank you"

Teuchi turned again to look at Sasuke, but he realised he had already left quickly.

"Still got problems saying thank you to others? You are indeed a Uchiha." Teuchi laughed to himself.

Sasuke stood for a moment hiding just around the corner of the ramen Ichiraku. He had heard the last sentence of the man before he began to walk away. He felt alot better now, more confident, yes, he knew it now, two weeks was enough. No, just one week was perfect.

Sasuke knew he had a little while to go until he had to arrive at the office of the hokage. But, he realised he wanted to go somewhere first, somewhere he hadn't been at all. Never.

He had wanted to many times over the course of the two years he'd come back. He just never did, never plucked up the courage, I dont think anyone did. It was one of those things, that if you stepped into their home, you're admitting they're gone, as if trying to comfort yourself for a loss.

But this wasn't what Sasuke had in mind. He wanted to take some thing some this place.

From Narutos apartment.

He now stood at the door, the door that had been locked and never entered this entire time. Sasuke looked around, glancing at the things around the door. He stepped backwards and bent down. Lifting up the mat, he saw what he assmued would be there. A key. He picked up the key and stood up, sliding the key into the hold and twisting it, he heard a few clicks before the door creaked open.

"O-jama shimasu" Sasuke mumbled as he stepped into the apartment. He took a quick glance around. The floor and desk was dusty. Clothes littered the place and empty and some half eaten ramen lay about too.

Sasuke cringed.

'_The dobe really lived in such a manner here?'_

Sasuke lifted up a pair of trousers with his foot, before kicking it to a side.

The hokage had ordered that no one was to enter this house no matter what, not to search, not to touch. Nothing.

Sasuke wasn't breaking this rule, he was merely paying a house visit to a friend.

Sasuke rolled up his selves and smirked. "You're going to owe me big time dobe".

He began to bend and pick up things, cleaning up the three year mess.

It was soon, the dirty clothes was placed in a bag, the dishes had been cleaned, the dust had been wiped away, and fresh air was breezing through the apartment. The bed was made, the Kakashi doll was laying on the corner of the bed, and narutos sleeping cap placed on the pillow.

Sasuke wiped the sweat of his forehead and looked around at the work his cleaning abilities had accomplished.

He smirked, a clean place was what he liked the most. Second to tomatos of course.

Sasuke saw a glint in the corner of his eye, and snapped his head to it. It was a picture frame of team seven. He sighed, for a moment he thought someone had entered the room and that it was a kunai's glint.

He walked over to the frame and picked it up, looking at the four people in it.

It was a young picture of them three.

Sasuke frowning.

Naruto glaring.

Kakashi so unsure but smiling, his hands on their heads.

Sakura smiling in-between the boys.

It was all happy. What had happened? Oh yeah.

'_I had been an idiot for power. I risked everything, in turn Naruto disappeared. I ruined this so called happiness.'_ Sasuke thought to himself glaring at the past him.

Sasuke was lost in his thoughts. He had let his guard down, something a ninja should never do, but luckily there was no intent to kill him.

Red eyes stared at him from the window. The man had originally been in the room, he would come by now and then to see if someone had entered the room but not once had someone bothered. He began to look around for a pen and paper he was writing another note to place by the previous note he had left three years ago for the Anbus that should have investigated this room. Three years ago, when he had found Naruto, he didn't know what to do, who to contact. Barely anyone knew of the real events at that time. He couldn't walk into the Anbus head quarters and tell them or the Hokages since he was ordered to be an S-rank missing nin. It was then the thought occurred to him that Anbus would search the apartment so he left notes.  
He had heard the sound of the door unlocking so he quickly finished the note in a hurry and jumped out the window. Sitting there for a while, listening to he boy talk and clean.

He had sighed, of all these years finally someone had entered the room, abit late but better late than never, now someone would find the notes. He had hoped it wouldn't have been Sasuke. Some how he thought Sasuke would start to look into Itachis background now, but that didn't matter now. The man smiled, he was just glad his little brother finally came back to Konoha and entered the blonds apartment at last.

He took one more look before vanishing.

Sasuke spun, he felt it, just now, the presense of someone. He cursed to himself as he rushed to the window, looking out. Someone had been here, someone had been watching him. How had he not noticed? He panicked.

He could have been killed!

He knew that, he knew it, he knew he made a mistake. He knew he was lucky.

But what made it worse, was what if it was Naruto? What if it was a clue. He had just missed it.

In a haste, Sasuke was about to leave but then he realised. If someone had been in here, surely there was a clue in here. Without a second thought, he began looking, without ruining his hard work of cleaning of course.

This time he looked in more places. Under the bed, under the pillows, in his draws. There it was. Neatly placed in a draw with his scrolls and weapons. Two letters with a scribbled sign on it. If it was anyone but Sasuke they wouldnt have noticed that the sign was the Uchiha sign, just drawn abit badly. Sideways. Looked more like a fish...and a scribbled word. A name. Sasuke squinted.

_'Danzo?' _

Sasuke glared at it. He knew it immediately, this didn't belong to Naruto, it wasn't even addressed to him, and he certainly knew he didn't write it. Only one person came to mind. Itachi Uchiha.

Sasuke opened the letter on top and began to read it. He noticed the writing had look hurried and unusually unneat, something rare from a Uchiha.

_I'm surprised no one has been here all these years. Un-Konoha like.  
__Naruto Uzumaki is Alive and well. Still coma-tosed. Over the years he has woken up now and then, but the moment he sleeps again, he doesnt wake up._

Sasuke's eyes widen, Naruto was still alive. This recent letter confirmed it.  
He placed that letter back down and grabbed the older looking letter.

_I'm leaving this letter at this apartment. I was unable to get hold off "knowing" Anbus. Or Danzo. I found Uzumaki at the Valley of the end, condition was critical. Any minute late, he would have died. I've taken him and stabled his condition. I didn't know what else to do.  
As long as it wasn't Akatsuki, Konoha is in no danger. _

_Anbu outside._

Sasuke frowned. Knowing? Anbu outside? Was this letter really written by his brother? Was that random blob on the envelope not the Uchiha symbol?

It would be impossible for his brother, the murderer of his clan to still be an Anbu. He was an S-ranked criminal. Unless, there was something hidden, something that wasn't told to anyone. That would have made sense about the "Knowing anbu" part.

If Sasuke didn't have his suspicions that it was his brother, he would have brushed it off as a secret Anbu known by few on a special mission. Too cool for his brother. Sasuke Mused.

His brother had thought right but didn't think of Tsunade actions. Everyone knew that if they searched Narutos home, it would have been the Anbus. Anbus choosen by none other than Danzo, so these notes would have got back to Danzo, and Danzo would obviously understand this more than he but since Tsunade didn't want anything of Narutos things disturbed, no Anbu found it.

Sasuke couldn't help but smirk to himself. If he hadnt "broken" the hokages rule and "broke in" to Narutos apartment he wouldn't have found something so valuable, something that might go into something deeper. Something that might explain more to the murder and possibly a secret behind the ANBUs.

Sasuke folded back the letters, grabbed Narutos sleeping cap and folded them within it before placing it into his pockets.

He was satisfied with himself. He knew he should have been mad especially since he knew his brother was into this too now, but to know Naruto was safe. That was far better.

For once in his life since he was eight. He was glad his brother wasn't dead. Yet.

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**Do review?**

**Honestly, don't know where I'm going with this. Sorta. Kinda. Somewhere. This chapter was interesting to write. Especially towards the ending where i had to try and make sense about all those letters. It makes somewhat sense in my head, if i was a s-ranked criminal, I wouldnt bother with the letters, but with Itachi who isn't as evil as he seems, he would have tried to make contact, but having to lay low it would be fairly impossible, and to get a message to someone asap, i would have went to a place where it was most likely they should have looked. Thus how it happened in my mind. **


	4. Files

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters. **

**If no one hasn't noticed, I'm actually winging the storyline and planning it like a few steps ahead as I type. **

**I honestly dont remember what the storyline was when I orginally made it in 2008. So I'm winging it.**

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**Chapter 3**

"Do you understand me?" Tsunade spoke as she leaned back in her chair.

The Uchiha had been five minutes late, later than Kakashi, the man who's always late. The moment the Uchiha had entered the room, and lined up with the other two at front of her desk, her rant began.

She had ranted on about how valuable the time is and how they shouldn't waste it, because one second could be a minute and the minute could be an hour and so on. Two weeks might sound like plenty of time, but it can vanish in a blink of an eye. She went on about her previous meeting again with the council and how they'd allow it, with no extensions unless something was found.

They nodded and agreed and accepted, no arguments were made. A surprise to the hokage because she was sure that Sasuke would want an extension, but he stood there, confidently, like he knew something that no one else did. He was enjoying himself but she dismissed it.

"Do you understand?" Tsunade repeated.

"Yes!" Sakura and Kakashi shouted in unison as they bowed.

"hn" replied Sasuke giving her a quick glance before looking away again.

'_This brat..._', the Hokage thought. She opened her draw and pulled out written documents and evidence that had been already found. It was a forehead protector.

Sasukes eyes focused on it. It was his, the one he lost.

"Take these with you," Tsunade spoke. "they might prove useful." She handed them to Kakashi.

"I wish you good luck." She looked away and continued to sign, her left hand waving them away. Dismissing them.

They left, and were on their way to the Valley of the end.

"Kakashi-sensei, are you really sure about this?" Sakura asked as she jumped ahead on the branches to catch up with Kakashi.

"hmm? Well I am sure on trying to find Naruto, I thought you'd want to find him too?" Kakashi questioned.

Sakura shook her head. "No, I didn't mean that, of course I want to find Naruto, but our time limit, is that really possible?"

Sasuke interrupted in. "Hn, of course Sakura, because I already have evidence"

Kakashi and Sakura stopped running and looked at Sasuke. Sasuke halted and jumped down from the trees to the forest ground.

"What do you mean Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked confused.

"Do explain Sasuke" Kakashi said too.

Sasuke took out the night cap from his pocket and unfolded it. He took out the two letters he previously found, as he stuffed the cap back into his pocket.

"Was that...?" Sakura began to say.

"It was nothing.."Sasuke mumbled, shooting a look at her.

He handed one letter to Kakashi and the other to Sakura.

"Read them, I found them in Narutos apartment this morning..."

Sakura interrupted him with a shout. "You went into Narutos apartment!"

"I cleaned it too" Sasuke added.

Sakura had just about to shout again but then what he had said registered into her mind. "...really?" Sakura asked.

"yes" Sasuke confirmed, waiting for some idoitic comment from the kunoichi.

"what are you a maid?" Sakura laughed.

Sasuke twitched. "Just fucking read it." He growled.

He waited as they finished reading it.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes at it.

"It's obviously aimed to the Anbus. Only them. But who could it be?" Kakashi questioned.

"Itachi" Sasuke answered without hesitation, "if you look on the envelope, theres a poorly drawn Uchiha symbol and a tiny chicken scratched name, made only to be read by certain people."

Kakashi read the name, he understood it because he too was an anbu once, and this hand writing was a style that they had to learn. (1)

"That means the Akatsuki have Naruto!" Sakura shouted.

"I thought that too Sakura, but if you read the letter Kakashi-sensei is holding there, he mentions as long as it aint with them, everything is safe. Which makes me wonder about Itachi now."

Kakashi and Sakura nodded, there was indeed something deeper into all this, why would an S-rank nin try and contact as well as protect something their organization wanted.

"It must have been hard for Itachi to try and contact someone for Naruto, as well as look after him and protect him as well as balance being in the Akatsuki without being suspicious" Kakashi said thoughtfully.

"Is there any way to know more about Itachi? Any reasons he could do this?" Sakura asked.

They lay in thought for a moment. Sasuke knew what he wanted to say, but he wasnt so sure they would be okay with it.

"It could all be in the Anbus place, is there no way to sneak in and retrieve any files or information about Itachi, mostly about the Uchiha massacre..." Sasuke trailed off.

"What you're suggesting Sasuke, could make us traitors." Kakashi pointed out kindly to Sasuke.

"But he has a point," Sakura said undertanding what Sasuke was talking about, "There's always a reason, and there is one hidden here. Kakashi, you use to be an Anbu, you know the way around the building, are you able to find it?"

Sasuke stared at Sakura amazed. She was right, Kakashi would be able to do it.

Kakashi sighed.

"It's for Naruto" Sasuke said. _'and for me' _Sasuke added as an after thought.

"okay, I'll do it. I still have some inside people who might do it for me. You guys go on ahead. Sasuke, if this is really your brother, try and think of places he might take Naruto to"

Sasuke and Sakura nodded, watching as Kakashi turned to leave and head back to Konoha.

"Lets head to the Valley of the end first, from there, maybe you know of a place not far from there, that he might have taken him to"

"hn" Sasuke knew she was right. But what place would there have been?

As they continued on their journey, Sasuke dazed out, thinking about the letters, what had been written, and about the Valley of the end.

'_In the letter it said his condition was critical. That he would have died. That means he would have had to take him to somewhere quickly and easily. Unless he preformed first aid quickly, but Itachi isn't really a medic nin, he wouldn't have known what to do. Then how did he stablise his condition? Was there more than one person? Maybe it wasn't Itachi? Maybe it was a set up to look like it was Itachi when it wasnt? But then again, that wouldn't explain the Anbu writing, Kakashi-sensei even confirmed it was their style of writing too.'_

Lost in thought, Sasuke didn't notice they had arrived at the Valley of the end until Sakura spoke.

"Sasuke-kun, we're here."

Sasuke blinked and looked up at her. He looked around at the familiar surroundings. Indeed they were.

"I'll begin looking for anything missed or-"

"Look for a cave or a tunnel" Sasuke said

"huh?" Sakura mumbled, confusion in her eyes.

"His condition was critical. Maybe he was taken to somewhere not far from here. Just look!"

Sakura frowned, but didn't question. They begun they're man hunt. Or cave hunt.

Hours went by as Sasuke and Sakura looked for a place, any place, somewhere that might have been used. They rushed around, back and forth and past each other, jumping and walking on the water, using charka seals on the rocks for any hidden entrances. So far, nothing.

Sakura sat down, and so did Sasuke, they were exhausted.

Footsteps could be heard, they both looked up and saw an Anbu. Their eyes widened in surprise, until the Anbu took of his mask to reveal himself as Kakashi.

He was out of breath as he grabbed both of them, and yanked them, signalling them that they had to run with him. They ran as far as they could, following Kakashi until he stopped. Sensing they were safe.

"I got the files." Kakashi finally spoke, "Luckily, they didn't realise it was me"

"You nearly got caught?" Sasuke asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"I shouldn't have answered a question..." Kakashi answered shamefully.

Kakashi handed the two the files.

Sasuke began to flick through them.

Sakura gasped.

"This is..!"

* * *

**Do review?**

**(1) Have you never had like a lesson, where they teach you how to write fancily? In my primary school, they taught us how to do this weird chicken scratch writing, and when I used it in secondary school, my teachers could rarely read my hand writing.**

**Just finished writing this, and I'm eating my dinner. And I've brunt the roof of my mouth. it bloody hurts now. o.O**


	5. Getting the files

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters. **

**Gone but not forgotten**

* * *

Sasuke and Sakura nodded, watching as Kakashi turned to leave and head back to Konoha.

Kakashi sighed, how did one search lead into something bigger?

He couldn't believe they were, in fact, looking into a possible person who should be a S-Rank missing nin but might not be one, and that he was really going to risk his ninja status to actually look for such evidence. He had the feeling it wasn't just for Naruto, but that it was more so to fill Sasukes curiousity. Sasuke had given up search and revenge for his brother for Naruto, but to hear that Itachi might be linked to Narutos search, it gave him a reason to go back to his revenge.

The silver haired jounin shook his head, pushing the thoughts away, that didn't matter right now, he had to plan his plan one step ahead than his current moves.

How was he supposed to sneak in to the over protected head quarters of ANBUs? He still had strong tie with them, but many would disagree with what he was looking for, after all, files have every mission recorded and every mission is highly top secret, to be taken out of the ANBU or Konoha was a big no-no.

Even for Kakashi, he wouldn't be let off lightly.

The moment Kakashi arrived back to Konoha, he jumped back home, he had remembered he had his old uniform lying around somewhere. He'd just have to look for it abit.

He dug through his wardrobe and through his chest of draws, but there was nothing it was then he remembered about the trunk beneath his bed. He pulled out the trunk and inforced some chakra into the keyhole where it begun to click. It was now unlocked. He opened the trunk and there it was, photos of his old team, and the anbus and him, with of course their masks on. His mask and uniform.

He grabbed his uniform and changed into it, it still fit like how he remembered. He shrugged on a cloak and pulled up the hood to hide his face, he looked at his mask. The mask he had kept when he left the Anbu. He stared at it for a while, memories coming back, he decided not to use it, each Anbus mask was one of a kind, if they saw it they'd know it was him. In the end, he choose just to use his hood to hide is face for a while until he could get his hands on another mask.

He casually walked over to his window, masked his chakra and glanced outside if anyone was looking, unlocked the hatch, then he slided the window open, climbing out of it, once out he stopped and began to slide the window down.

After his cat like skills of climbing out of his own home, he began to make his way to an old friends home creeping in the shadows of Konoha.

Once arriving there, he saw his friend dancing in his own front room. Kakashi smiled awkwardly to himself, it was funny yet it was a scene he just didn't want to see. Kakashi took this opportunity, the off the clock anbu had let down his guard, to creep in and ambush the Anbu. You'd expect better from an anbu. Assassins who are skilled and picked out by the Hokage, alas, this Anbu was easily taken out by the number one copy nin.

Kakashi stared at the poor guy. He felt like a traitor for doing this but right now, to himself, his mission was for his students.

He ran up the stairs silently and into a room, there sat neatly on a hook a mask and a cloak. He grabbed the mask and put it on covering his face.

So far so good. Everything was easy. Too easy, but thats how things start, they start easy and they begin to get harder, for some it starts of hard, become easy but become hard again, either way it always becomes difficult sooner or later.

Kakashi was prepared for that, no one ever said it was easy to break into a place, let alone the head quarters of assassins, heavily guarded from inside and out. Yep, it sounds so easy.

He dived out the already opened window, rolled along the roof and pounced high into the sky as if he was flying. Kakashi felt elegant having to play sneaky in Konoha, it made him feel even more of a traitor. He knew every single dark corner, where the ninjas would be at what time of day due to their scedules he had remembered from a while back, places he could escape to or from if he ever got caught. Now, he somewhat knew how Itachi felt, feeling free yet all knowing of this one place.

'_What if I just become an S-rank?'_ Kakashi thought. He was about to forget even such a ridiculous thought had came to his mind but then instead he kept the thought in his mind, because what if he did get caught? What if Sasuke, Sakura and himself got into trouble for this, there a possibility Tsunade their Hokage wouldn't stand for them to be classed as S-rank nins, especially if this act did uncover something. Even the council might allow it, because this now involves the other last Uchiha.

Kakashi arrived at the location, he swung up and over the wall. He was now offically on their land but not inside the building just yet. He looked around, the building was like it was before. Windowless. Kakashi frowned.

'_If only I had the byakugan, I could see everyones chakra and the areas most easiest to get in.' _A light switched on in his head.

'_Byakugan, eh?_'Kakashi thought, _'Now where would I find someone with that who would co-operate with him?'_

Kakashi jumped back over the window and headed to a training ground.

"I refuse." Came a simple reply from a long brown haired teen.

"But Neji-san!" A green clad teen turned away from the boy, fire in his eyes, "Gai-Sensei and Kakashi-San has done such training before! We must do this, to become stronger, for when Sasuke-san and Sakura-chan find Naruto, we can show him how strong we are!"

Neji sighed, "Hell no, do something else, Lee".

His purple eyes narrowed as Lee bent down.

"Neji-san"

"Get up-"

"Neji-San?" Lee turned his head around to look at Neji but realised the teen wasn't there.

Lee began to call his name repeatedly, hoping the name would call his friend back, unknowingly to him, he was being watched from the bushes.

"shh" The cloaked figure said into Nejis ear, one hand covering his mouth and the other holding a kunai to his throat.

"Neji, I need you to do something for me."

Nejis eyes widened, this person knew him, he waited til the hand pulled away from his mouth.

"Who are you?" Neji questioned.

"You should answer that for you're self, Neji-kun" The voice was right, his 'kidnappers' voice sounded oddly familiar to him.

"If it helps you Neji-kun, if you help me, you'll be helping us find Naruto-kun"

The voice had been right again, it helped Neji figure out who he was, although he still felt unsure. "Kakashi-san?" Neji asked hesitantly.

There was a brief moment of silence until he spoke again.

"Call me Ichapa"

It took a moment for Neji to realise why such a ridiculous name.

'_Icha Icha Paradise...' _Neji thought. _'Ichapa...It really is you...'_

"Okay, I'll help you."

Kakashi let his grip off of Neji, and began to pull out from communicators. He put one into his own ear and handed one to the brown haired teen.

"I need to get into the Anbus Headquarters," Kakashi began "I'll need your help to do so," He watched as Neji placed the device into his ear "I'll need you to use your byakugan to look through the walls and to tell me where others are and the easiest entrance there is for me to get into the building."

Neji nodded.

"Before we get going," he paused, he swear he would hear the male smirk behind that mask. "_**Ichapa**_" Neji strained the alias. "How will this benefit to finding Naruto?"

Kakashi stared at Neji, contemplating on whether to tell the lad or not.

"We recently found evidence in Narutos apartment," Neji glared at hearing this but Kakashi continued anyway. "of two letters aimed to the Anbus from an S-rank, we're looking into why an S-rank would try and contact Anbus for the safety of Naruto."

Neji remained silent. He understood, that was indeed odd.

"Alright, lets begin." Neji said.

"_**Ichapa**_...there are five chakra flows at the main entrance, and two at the back entrance-"

"Then I'll take the back" Interjected Kakashi.

"OR you could jump to the roof and enter through there. There's no one there."

Kakashi stopped in his haste to the back entrance and began to climb to the building sending chakra to his feet.

"Don't rush, you could have been seen just now"

Kakashi chuckled, "Don't under estimate me..."

Neji frowned, looked away from where he could see Kakashi's chakra flow to the building.

"There isn't many inside the left side of the building but there is more on the right side of the building, where are you aiming for?"

There was a long silence.

"Hello?" Neji asked

"The right"

Neji paled. "What exactly are you looking for?"

"...the file room..."

Neji frowned, yes, that was on the right side of the building...

"This isn't going to be easy..."Neji mumbled

"I never said it would be" Kakashi replied back.

Kakashi had finally reached the roof of the building and was sticking a chakra inforced pick into the padlock on the door.

It took a while but eventually the padlock unlocked and the door swung open. He began to run down the steps, the steps becoming spirial, twisting and around and around for what seemed like hours til he got to the end of the steps.

"There's two coming your way, and there doesn't seem to be anywhere to hide, just try and blend in"

Kakashi glared to the ear his device was in. Blend in, shouldn't be too hard, cloak, uniform and current anbu persons mask, all sorted.

Kakashi glided by the two as they walked past him too. He was almost into the clear when..

"I thought you're on holiday for the week"

Kakashi turned to look at them.

"unless you're coming in a day early?"

Kakashi nodded. He turned and went to walked away. Surprisingly the two had let him carry on.

'_fuck, I should have realised he was on holiday...'_ Kakashi swore to himself, _'after all I saw horrible dancing skills...'_

After ducking and diving, and hiding, and squeezing into tight but dark spaces, Kakashi had finally arrived at the room. He twisted the door handle and walked into the room, closing the door quietly.

He rushed around in the room, opening and shutting drawers. Searching for the specific name.

After searching for a while, and making sure not to cause alot of mess, he finally found the folder.

"found it" Kakashi whispered in a sing song voice.

"Great, now get out of there" Neji mumbled.

Kakashi shoved the files into his cloak, and dashed out the room and down the halls. An open door full of anbus stopped Kakashi in his tracks.

"I'll telling you Icha Icha paradise was before Icha Icha Tactics"

"No no no, you're ultimately wrong, Tactics before paradise"

Kakashi couldn't help himself but answer. "Paradise was before Tactics what imbecile wouldn't know that, do you even consider yourself an Icha Icha fan!"

Everyone looked toward him and stared.

"He's right" they all began to nod and continue to talk about it.

Kakashi was just about to continue walking.

"8790, I thought you said you didn't like Icha Icha at all, that it was just a bunch of useless jumble of written porn that was poorly written and we should actually go out and get a life, like a girlfriend or wife for once."

Everyone continued to stare at each other.

"and you're voice..."

Kakashi legged it. He was down the hall turning the corner, just as each Anbu in that room had got up and out of that door.

Alarms were blaring, red lights were flashing, and all Kakashi could hear on the other end of the ear piece was...

"Idiot...stupid perv...couldn't just leave it..."

Kakashi, dodged a couple of people running his way, unknowning it was him they were after.

Soon he was jumping up the spiral staircase, side to side, skipping all the running. He ran through the door, stopping to close it, and pull out from tags to seal it. He poofed out from the roof, to the walls down below, and out of the compound.

He knew he couldn't relax now, they were all going to try and follow him, and they would find him sooner or later.

"_**Ichapa**_...you're being followed and they've already figured out that you've escaped the building"

"Thank you for your help Neji-kun, escape from here and destroy the device"

Kakashi pulled out the ear piece and crushed it. Jumping building to building, he was running at full speed, he couldn't stop or check if they were still on his tail, he had to keep running. He knew it was risky to head to Sasuke and Sakura, but it couldn't wait.

Finally he arrived at the valley of the end, and he saw Sasuke and Sasuke sitting down. He watched as they both looked up and saw him. Their eyes widening in surprise, Kakashi took of his mask to show them it was him.

Out of breath, he grabbed both of them, and yanked them, signalling them that they had to run with him. They ran as far as they could, Kakashi stopped. Sensing they were safe.

"I got the files." Kakashi finally spoke, "Luckily, they didn't realise it was me""You nearly got caught?" Sasuke asked as he raised an eyebrow."I shouldn't have answered a question..." Kakashi answered handed the two the files. He watched as Sasuke began to flick through them and Sakura leaned over his shoulder to read it too. Not even Kakashi had seen the files just yet.

Sakura gasped.

"This is..!"

* * *

**Ended up taking a while. Spent most of my day on this, just couldn't be bothered to do my college work. And I didn't want to tlk to any of my friends. Going through a rough patch with them. Might end up writing a story based on it, it was pretty stupidly dramatic. **


	6. Innocence behind the pages

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters. **

**Gone but not forgotten**

* * *

Sakura gasped.

"This is..!"

"..." Sasuke remained silent just looking at the information before, somewhat wishing Sakura wasn't so close to him. It was irritating when someone was looking over your shoulder.

Kakashi frowned, "What is it..?" Kakashi asked demandedly.

"Reports and missions that Itachi had done" Sasuke answered, still looking at the information in his grasp.

"Sasuke, what exactly does it say?" Kakashi asked breaking the silence.

Sasuke began to read it out loud.

"_xxxx of xxxxx year xxxx _

_The Uchiha clan is expected to have caused the destruction of Konoha Village during the Nine tails attack due to their power to control the Kyuubi. We suspect they will once again try and take over the Village and control it for themselves. Itachi Uchiha, as an ANBU, we wish for you to find out if our suspicions are true and report back to us._

_Signed, Danzo and Third Hokage."_

"That is the mission notice and this is the report..."

"_Mission is complete  
All Suspicions are true. They have ask of me to be a spy of Konoha._

_Itachi Uchiha."_

"Is that all?" Kakashi questioned.

Sasuke remained quiet.

"Even in writing a Uchiha still doesn't speak much. Right Sasuke-Kun?" Sakura smiled oddly. A smile that looked somewhat irritating. Like his trademark smirk.  
"..hn.." Sasuke knew she was right but he just couldn't help but to glare at the pink haired girl.

Sasuke turned away and flipped the page again.

"_xxxx of xxxxx year xxxx_

_Mission: Kill the Uchiha clan for the protection of Konoha_

_Signed, Danzo"_

Sasuke was pissed, it was a mission, a mission to kill his clan, it wasn't on Itachi's whim to kill them just to "test his power", it was a mission. A bloody mission.

Sasuke gulped, a mission is a mission, Itachi would have done it but frankly it's Danzo's fault, he's to blame for the murder and Itachi is just the accomplice, he helped murder them. The next paper would conclude it all, Itachi really did murder his family, Itachi only stays in contact cause he's loyal to the real master mind of the murder. He'll kill them all, save Naruto and it'll be happily ever after. Yes, it was all perfectly set up in his mind.

Sasuke took a breath and began again.

"_Mission Refused"_

Sasuke eyes grew wide as he looked at the word. Refused. Itachi had refused the mission to kill his family. Then, who killed his clan?

"What else does it say?" Kakashi interrupted Sasukes thoughts.

"That's it" Sasuke said plainly

"He doesnt say why at all, how Uchiha like..." Sakura mumbled.

Sasuke whipped his head around to glare at her once again whilst flipping to the next page.

"It's another mission" Sasuke began to read it.

"_xxxx of xxxxx year xxxx_

_Mission: Take the blame of the murder of the Uchiha clan, Become an S-rank and stay in contact with Danzo **SECRETLY** about any events occuring outside of Konoha._

_Signed Danzo" _

"Don't speak yet,theres some scribbled red writing" Sasuke frowned at it as he began to read.

_"Itachi Uchiha refused previous mission. Mission was carried out by a deal with an assassin outside of Konoha. Information located elsewhere. Itachi Uchiha disrupted the mission protecting his sleeping brother, later took photos of the massacre whilst being caught by Sasuke Uchiha and then started his mission from that point on. Sasuke Uchiha shall be protected on request of Itachi Uchiha and kept hidden from this information in exchange for Itachi who shall carry out on his current and life mission"_

Sasuke looked at the photos, but flipped them over, he didn't want to look at them, to remind him of such a pain, especially now he knows what he saw was all lies.

Everyone remained silent for a long period of time. They didn't know what to say, and they could tell Sasuke was hurt. He was shaking, from anger or sadness they didn't know.

Sasuke had spent seven years hating his brother, when in fact his brother never killed them, instead he fought (or at least what Sasuke assumed) against the killer to protect him and continued to protect him by taking the blame as well as a long life mission.

Sasuke's face was of shock and hurt as he looked at Kakashi.

"He..he never killed my clan." Sasuke stuttered. He began to curse himself for it, he was a Uchiha but heck, these were one of the times Teuchi had said, where he had to throw the Uchiha name away and just be "Sasuke". Whether it was at the Ichiraku or not. He didn't care.

"Sasuke-kun..." Sakura patted him on the shoulder. "You should be happy, you're brother is innocent, and now we are certain that Naruto is safe with Itachi. It's getting late, we're all exhausted, we should rest up for tomorrow."

Sasuke looked at her and nodded, so did Kakashi.

They set up camp, each planning out who would stay watch and what order it should go in.

Sakura stayed up first, second would be Sasuke and last would be Kakashi, because of his hard work of gathering the files earlier that day.

Sasuke lay awake for awhile.

Tomorrow, they'd look around the Valley of the End abit longer, before heading off to search for Itachi. Itachi was innocent, this newly found information had Sasuke in shock, and he was still in shock and probably would be for a while. Naruto, they assumed, was safe since now learning that Itachi isn't actually an S-Rank nin with a bounty. He was just on a mission, a mission Sasuke was now determined to cancel, drag him back to Konoha, have a long talk, celebrate with Naruto and everything would be hanky dory again. This new plan in his head was even more perfect. He could achieve a little more happiness.

He closed his eyes and allowed the blackness to engulf him in clouds and dreams of a thirteen year old Naruto and Itachi smiling at him, laughing and talking.

End of day one. 13 days left.

* * *

**Haha, Itachi's innocent. Wow. xD**

**Will Sasuke happiness really come out how he wants it? I hope so too, I don't wanna be cruel to him but even I don't know where this story is going**


End file.
